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Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai speaks to reporters at the Texas Tribune Festival last year in Austin. Credit: Michael Karlis<\/p>\nBexar County Judge Peter Sakai speaks to reporters at the Texas Tribune Festival last year in Austin. Credit: Michael Karlis<\/p>\n
A Bexar County employee last year filed a federal workplace discrimination complaint against County Judge Peter Sakai, alleging he publicly berated her and retaliated against her over a disagreement, documents show.<\/p>\n
Bexar County Precinct 4 Constable Kathryn Brown, the first Black woman to hold that position, filed a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) complaint against Sakai on April 25, 2025, alleging she and other women of color employed by the county face a hostile workplace.<\/p>\n
Brown\u2019s complaint stems from a purported encounter with the judge four days prior to her filing. She alleges in the document that Sakai showed up at Precinct 4\u2019s satellite office in Converse, yelling and acting aggressively toward her. One witness cited in the complaint said he believed the judge was ready to physically strike Brown.<\/p>\n
Sakai, who\u2019s locked in a tight Democratic primary battle<\/a> against former San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, told the Current that he apologized to Brown following the incident and wants to reset the relationship.<\/p>\n \u201cFor the record, I used no profanities or personal insults; however, I fully admit to losing my patience and I take full responsibility for my behavior,\u201d Sakai said. <\/p>\n Nirenberg\u2019s campaign declined comment.<\/p>\n The EEOC didn\u2019t immediately respond to the Current\u2019s request to clarify whether officials had begun looking into Brown\u2019s complaint. <\/p>\n In the document, Brown asserts that Sakai publicly demeaned her and damaged her credibility with her staff. <\/p>\n \u201cThese actions were taken place at my office, in front of members of the public and my subordinates, directly undermining my authority and creating a hostile and degrading work environment,\u201d she wrote in her complaint. \u201cI am bringing this forward not just for myself, but in the interest of fairness, equity, and the integrity of the workplace we are all sworn to serve.\u201d<\/p>\n In the document, Brown also argued that Sakai and his office participated in retaliatory behavior following the initial incident.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is particularly troubling is that I am not alone in experiencing this treatment,\u201d Brown added. \u201cOther elected officials [and] women of color \u2026 in this workplace have also endured similar patterns of hostility, marginalization, and public disrespect. Which points to a broader, systemic issue that reflects bias and discrimination based not only on gender but also on race. It is unacceptable, and it demands accountability.<\/p>\n The complaint<\/p>\n The EEOC filing maintains that Sakai burst into Bexar County\u2019s Precinct 4\u2019s satellite office on April 21 of last year, yelling and demanding a meeting with Brown. Cedric Wade, Brown\u2019s assistant chief, escorted Sakai to a conference room to meet with her, according to allegations in the document.<\/p>\n \u201cJudge Sakai started very angrily and loudly yelling at her and he was so upset and he got up from the table in a very aggressive fashion as if to hit her, still yelling at her and pointing his right pointer finger and hand in her face, violently yelling at her,\u201d Wade wrote in a witness statement included in the complaint.<\/p>\n In another statement accompanying the federal filing, Precinct 4 County Commissioner Calvert alleged that Sakai\u2019s outburst stemmed from ongoing disagreements with Brown over security and staffing at the new Precinct 4 office.<\/p>\n \u201cThere had been an unnecessary tug-of-war over whether to provide additional security for the new Precinct 4 satellite office,\u201d Calvert wrote. \u201cPreviously, Precinct 4 did not have a satellite office but merely a space that housed the Justice of the Peace and the Constables\u2019 offices. The previous building was 11,000 square feet and the new building is 32,000 square feet \u2014 triple the size.\u201d<\/p>\n Calvert told the Current in a phone call that he wasn\u2019t present in the room when Sakai met with Brown. However, he said he the shouting was loud enough that it bled through the wall.<\/p>\n \u201cI couldn\u2019t believe what I was hearing,\u201d Calvert added. <\/p>\n Ramon Chapa Jr., who worked as Calvert\u2019s community engagement director at the time of Brown\u2019s complaint, also provided a witness statement. He alleged Sakai\u2019s appearance at the satellite office suggested the judge actively sought a confrontation with the constable.<\/p>\n \u201cFor [Sakai] to come all the way from his downtown office, with his entire staff, and armed executive protection team, he was looking for a fight,\u201d Chapa wrote.<\/p>\n In his statement to the Current, Sakai said he lost his temper because Brown was refusing to supply bailiffs and additional security at the Precinct 4 office, which he said was concerning as as acts of political violence continued to rise across the nation.<\/p>\n \u201cWe clearly hold very different views towards fulfilling our responsibilities; however, that does not excuse my reaction,\u201d Sakai said. \u201cIt was unprofessional. I take responsibility and would welcome an opportunity to reset the relationship.\u201d<\/p>\n What\u2019s next<\/p>\n Brown\u2019s complaint surfaces as Sakai enters the home stretch for a primary campaign likely to determine the overall winner of the election. In blue Bexar, it\u2019s unlikely cultural conservative Patrick Von Dohlen, the lone Republican candidate for the county\u2019s top elected position, will gain traction at the polls in November.<\/p>\n The the EEOC filing isn\u2019t the only potential setback Sakai has faced as the clock ticks down on the primary.<\/p>\n Early this month, the judge took heat for flip-flopping on his support of Project Marvel<\/a>, the massive downtown sports-and-entertainment complex that will include a taxpayer-funded Spurs arena.<\/p>\n Days later, reports surfaced that Sakai fired his former communications director<\/a>, Jim Lefko, over allegations the spokesman sent inappropriate texts to the publisher of the San Antonio Observer. Lefko has said the messages were \u201cmisconstrued.\u201d<\/p>\n Then, roughly a week ago, the Texas Attorney General\u2019s Election Integrity Division served a search warrant<\/a> to JoAnn Ramon, a political consultant who did work for Sakai\u2019s campaign. Ramon has faced previous inquiries from the AG\u2019s office in which she denied wrongdoing. She\u2019s never been charged in those cases.<\/p>\n Early voting in the Democratic primary runs now through Friday, Feb. 27. The Bexar County Elections Department\u2019s website<\/a> offers information on polling locations and hours of operation.<\/p>\n Polls will reopen on Election Day, March 3.<\/p>\n Sign Up for SA Current newsletters.<\/a><\/p>\n Follow us:\u00a0Apple News<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Google News<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0NewsBreak<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Reddit<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Instagram<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Facebook\u00a0<\/a>| Twitter<\/a>\u00a0| Or sign up for our\u00a0RSS Feed<\/a><\/p>\n Related Stories<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\tAt one point, the debate elicited giggles from the audience, although it\u2019s unclear which candidate they were laughing at \u2014 perhaps both. \t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t![\"Sakai](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1772057948_471_IMG_4471.jpg\")
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\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Report:](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1772057948_473_jade_esteban_estrada.webp.jpeg\")
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